From The Burrow: A Watership Down Tale
by midnytewolff69
Summary: Life as a rabbit is difficult but, rewarding. Especially for the Efrafans, who now try to cope with the simple life. It seems to be a whole new way has opened up. A way that feels both natural and a bit frightening. Can they learn to cope with the gruff captain Thlayli and make a new life for themselves?
1. Chapter 1

_The following tale contains OCs as well as canon characters. Please don't view if this offends you._

**Chapter 1**

Snowberry wiggled her nose out of the burrow testing the air for the scent of intruders. Only the sweet smells of green and familiar rabbits reached her nostrils telling the doe that she had nothing to worry about. Her front paws eased out first, then the rest of her white body followed.

"Don't act so shifty," Bigwig bellowed from nearby. He turned her way and the albino could see a few strands of chewed grass bits hanging from his mouth. He had been gorging himself and stopped suddenly. Perhaps he was seeing her timidness as an insult to his command over the sentries.

"I was just being careful," Snowberry replied in a somewhat insulted tone herself. She shook her head forcing her loppy ears to flop about, then return to their rightful position. "There is no harm in being too careful." She hopped close to him, flipping her nose up at him as a show of play.

"Such a doe," the large buck replied gruffly and returned to nibbling at his flay. He wasn't into arguing this morning. Perhaps during the night something had happened? His frazzled posture suggested that he was more then just irritated, he was completely on edge.

Inching towards him, the unsure doe lightly nudged his cheek with her nose. "I'm sorry, you are a great captain of the owsla. I know there is nothing here that will harm us." She spoke with a soft tone that she hoped would comfort his unease even a bit but, it only seemed to make him all the more uneasy. His muscles tensed and he fidgeted a little.

"Yeah yeah," he exclaimed finally, but didn't even lift his head from the patch he was feasting on. Instead, he began to eat even faster turning his back to the burrow which Thethuthannang came hopping out of. Now, Snowberry understood. The doe had a flat stomach. Normally, this would mating season, so all the does with a mates would have been swollen with kittens by now. Thethuthannang was not.

The doe made her way over and touched noses in greeting with Snowberry. Her mate had eaten himself even further away now, not even bothering to mingle. Most males were deterred at a female that could not produce young. And often if a male couldn't have kittens with his doe, it became his natural instinct to move on. Of course, not having a a litter for a season was no big deal but, this was Thethuthannang's third season. Snowberry new that the crowded Efrafa had taken a tole on lots of does causing them to produce late litters. Snowberry herself was sure she would even produce a litter if she had a mate of her own.

"By Frith I swear," Thethuthannang began rubbing her nose on her fore paw. "I don't know what he wants from me." She grumbled. "Efrafa was a horrible place. And I made many other litters there." Her voice was sad and soft. "Hazel says my body may just be going through a hard time."

"Lets hope frith will grant you kittens again," the albino exclaimed in the most sincere voice she could muster. "And this time, it would be with the mate that you have chosen." Her eyes offered some confort to her but not much. Secretly inside, the white doe wanted her friend to be barren. She felt horrible for wishing it and prayed that frith forgive such a horrible doe like she. It was then and there that she promised herself that she would do all she could to help the pair.

"Greetings fellow marly," came a sudden sweet tone. Both does turned to see a red fured rabbit bounding towards them, a belly full of kittens lumbering beneath her. It was Cherrywood. A doe, the other rabbits would consider quite idealistic, matching her mate Blackberry perfectly. She stopped short and touched noses with them. "Did something happen?" She asked after observing the looks on there faces.

"Not at all," Thethuthannang lied and fidgeted happily. Her paws patted the ground rhythmically in a an attempt to show the unwanted arrival that nothing was here for here to worry about. Snowberry guessed it was because she didn't want Cherrywood to catch a wif of the absent litter within her. The doe after all was a bit of a gloat. She didn't quite mean to be, Snowberry had often pondered to herself. She was just happy.

"Maybe better flay would help," the red doe spoke up compassionately. "Or better yet, flayrah."

"Flayrah?" Thethuthannang replied somewhat confused. "How can flayrah help?"

"Well, better food means better bodies and better bodies means better chance for producing kittens. Its all really quite simple."

The two bewildered doe looked at each other for a moment. "It does make sense," Snowberry said at last. "But are we gonna get that king of flayrah?" There was silence for a moment then Cherrywood spoke again.

"Perhaps flayrah lies further out in the field." She lifted her nose to sniff the air.

"Further out huh?" Thethuthannang pronounced somewhat thoughtfully. Snowberry new the thoughts that were brewing in her friends mind. The thoughts of wandering far out away from the safety of the warren and she didn't them one bit. Thethuthannang wouldn't go through with that would she?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Working her way down to the bottom of the hill, Thethuthannang eagerly sniffed the air. She wanted to dart off quickly but hesitated. It wasn't in a rabbit to put itself in such a danger with a protected warren so close by. The urge to turn back was very strong. Raking across the doe's senses like claws. She took a couple steps back and bounded up the hill. "I can't go alone," she exclaimed looking between her two companions expectingly.

"It would be foolish to go at all," Cherrywood proclaimed finally. Her voice was stern and serious. "Its best to stay near the warren. I shouldnt have said anything." She turned away from them, flashing her white tai before bounding away.

"I think she is right," Snowberry mumbled nibbling some green. "You know Thlayli would be quite sore, if he knew you were even thinking about doing this." A part of her wanted to let the delirious doe do it. Bigwig would surely be sore with her. It might give him more cause to stir himself her way instead. Males did fight for females, but females themselves often tried to push their way into the interest of the biggest and best looking males. They weren't near as violent as the males were when choosing their mate though. Their war was fought on a much more devious ground. Striving to be more appealing to the eyes.

Thethuthannang cocked her head to the side, broadcasting her confusion freely. Her nose twitched in an irritated manner as she tried to decode the feelings in the albino's words. Her body raised up showing her annoyance. She didn't speak again but, began to clean her fore paws furiously.

Drifting away, Snowberry ate her way inconspicuously toward the large captain. She hoped he was in a better mood by now and cautiously approached keeping her head low. He glanced up at her momentarily then continued on with his eating until he could see her coming even closer.

"You planning on being sneaky the whole way?" He asked turning his large form to face her. His ears layed at a slant. showed the concerning doe that he was indeed at ease. She read his body language easily and darted over, hastily extending her nose to touch his.

"Frith smiles on us today," she said gleefully. "I see that you are taking in his warmth and welcoming the ease that it brings." The buck ruffled his fur happily and rose up above his companion. He was showing off now. Placing his thick frame up for all to see.

Snowberry gave a chuckle and raised her nose to him in a show of interest then lowered it quickly in case his mate was looking that way. Bigwig caught her signal anyway and knocked a paw onto her head as a gesture of playful acknowledgment. It was apparent he cared not if two does were interested, and with the latter having the trouble she was he was going to take a look at the other options.

If he could see inside the albinos heart, he would be witness to the war that raged inside. Yes, she wanted him but, at the same time she felt a heavy guilt for it and even though she was trying her best to help the pair stay together instinct was giving way to personal want and the young doe often found herself making it known to Thlayli through actions behind Thethuthannang's back. 'This was not what was supposed to be happening', she would often think.

Bigwig, gave her an awkward look and fluffed his fur. "What's the matter with ya" he asked boldly. "Ya see something?" His ears perked up and he surveyed the area.

"No," the albino remarked quickly. "I apologize, I was lost in thought that's all." She nuzzled his leg as a show of friendliness then stopped when she saw the scars on his thigh. Efrafa. That horrible place had branded him permanently. Swallowing, the doe looked up at him, her eyes holding onto a sad memory.

"The're gone forever," Bigwig broke in. "All the bad that crack brained, slave driver did is gone. We're allies now with a bold and brighter future." His words were strong and true, giving the doe a sense of calm once more.

The wind blew hard and suddenly, causing most of the rabbits to shiver. A young, orange female named Pumpkin skidded to a halt as her mate Pipkin toppled,over her. They could sense what all the others were sensing. Something was very wrong. The happy sounds of Watership Down had given way to an eerie silence. All that could be heard was the frantic thumping of the sentries. Quick as lightning all the rabbits scurried to the burrows as a circling hawk came into view.

Snowberry was pressed tightly against the large Bigwig as she fearfully shivered. The loud screech the hawk belted through the air made her muscles jump, ready to bolt.

"Keep it calm," her companion assured her. "It can't reach us." He looked up through the burrow cautiously, looking to the sky then around the ground before tucking back in. "No body is out there. She's safe." Snowberry knew he was talking about Thethuthannang. In the scurry they had just hit a burrow, not even bothering to see who was running with them.

"There you are Bigwig," came Hazel's voice from the,darkness. Both rabbits turned to see him hopping up the run. "Your mate has been looking for you."

"Hazel-rah," proclaimed the captain. "All our warren made it in." He stepped to him.

"That's good to hear," the chief rabbit sighed in relief. He touched noses with the captain of his owsla then turned to make his way back. Bigwig followed of course, and Snowberry behind him. She was still shaking from the encounter and vowed to stay as close to him as possible until the danger had passed.


End file.
